Camera, Lights, Fashion!

Around this time each year, I very much look forward to receiving my invitation from Coláiste Bríde teacher Margo Whelan to take photographs at their annual Junk Kouture event. It`s an evening that never fails to inspire, amaze, surprise, and astound as TY students pull out all the stops to present an occasion of glamour, creativity, and vision, using recycled materials in the most imaginative way to generate absolutely fabulous, and sometimes outrageous fashion.

And this year was no exception, with the twenty-six lavish designs produced, using a huge variety of recycled materials, medical visors, trampolines, bin bags, fishing nets, conkers, teabags, butter lids, blinds, ladies tights, strawberry punnets, fruit pads, cotton string, net curtains, pillowcases, silage wraps, pipe shavings, burst soccer balls, tent ropes, flysheets, wool, wire, swimsuit material, turnip bags, egg cartons, medicine capsule packets, tyre tubes, covid mats, fire blankets, window tint scraps, Avoca blanket loom endings, yoga mat, rings from drink cans, coffee cups, video tapes, and onion bags with artistic titles like Glamactive, Electric Love, Conker Couture, Im-Mortal, Cerulean Angel, Carnival Beleza, Meriabella, No Taming the Flame, Banrion na Blathanna, Fast & Glorious, Rising from the Ashes, and Eclipse, to name but a few. This year many of the themes were woven around women, de- signed to represent their empowerment, strength, and resilience, with world peace and pollution being favourite topics with the students as well.

Peace By Peace, a design inspired by a dress called ‘Vytynanka Soul’, modelled by Leah Connor and created by Leah, Adrianna Golub and Anna Buckley, had Ukrainian overtures, with traditional Ukraine flower designs representing the very difficult times the Ukrainian people have been experiencing and the hope for new beginnings in Adrianna`s home country.

Many of the elaborate headpieces were influenced by world renowned designers Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Gareth Pugh, Valentino, and Marc Jacobs.

A stunning amount of local talent on display, and not just on the catwalk with Wexford Academy of Irish Dance delighting the large audience, along with top class entertainment from students Laura Da Silveira, Ciara Whelan, and Michelle Waruinge.

Everyone was a winner on the night and awards went to:

Teamwork Award 4A – Gracie Kehoe, Anna Dolan & Madeline Kirwan for Glamactive.

Teamwork Award 4B – Katie Doyle, Abbie Doyle & Aoibhlinn Ryan for Rising from the Ashes.